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International Literacy Day
International Literacy Day
Read it and believe it—literacy changes everything. As a basic human right, literacy is a powerful tool that opens the door to greater freedoms and active global citizenship. Recognising its far-reaching impact, International Literacy Day—observed each year on September 8 since 1967—serves as a reminder of how vital literacy is in building a better, more sustainable future for all. This year, the theme explores literacy in a digital age, where technology continues to reshape how people learn, communicate and participate in society. As a result, digital engagement has become both a challenge and an opportunity.Desktop Version
International Day of the Tropics
International Day of the Tropics
Every June 29, the International Day of the Tropics shines a light on the equator-hugging zone where the sun sticks around and climate conversations get real. The tropics span a broad region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, including parts of Asia, Africa, Oceania, Central America and South America. Nearly 40% of the global population lives in this band, which also hosts 80% of the world"s biodiversity. It"s rich in culture, nature and history—but also under pressure from rising temperatures, deforestation and fast-paced urban growth.Desktop Version
World Elephant Day
World Elephant Day
Big ears, bigger hearts—elephants are more than just icons of the wild. Every year on August 12, we celebrate World Elephant Day—a global movement to raise awareness about the majestic giants that roam places like Amboseli National Park in Kenya, pictured here. What makes elephants so extraordinary isn"t just their size; it"s their minds. These animals have incredible memories. Matriarchs, the oldest females, can recall the locations of water sources from decades past, and they use that knowledge to lead their herds through tough times. Their social bonds run just as deep. Elephants live in close-knit families, mourn their dead and have even been observed comforting one another during hard times.Desktop Version
The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
Set at Corsica"s southern edge, Bonifacio looks out across a narrow strait to Sardinia, its limestone cliffs towering above the waves. Bonifacio didn"t begin as a picturesque tourist destination—it was originally established as a coastal fortification and has spent centuries guarding one of the Mediterranean"s busiest sea lanes. Established in 828 CE by Boniface II of Tuscany, the commune gradually became a meeting point for traders, soldiers and sailors—each group contributing to the evolution of the town"s structure. Bonifacio is divided into two sections, with the "vieille ville" (old town)—also known as "la Haute Ville" (the Upper City)—standing on a high cliff within the original citadel walls. Below, the marine area lines the narrow inlet with harbours, waterfront homes and a growing valley community.Desktop Version
World Environment Day
World Environment Day
A global shoutout to the planet we all call home. On World Environment Day, the world hits pause to reflect and act for a greener future. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme, this day has been observed annually on June 5 since 1973. This year, hosted by the Republic of Korea, the event focuses on ending plastic pollution. Plastic contamination has crept into every part of the world—from oceans and forests to our own bodies in the form of microplastics. This year"s campaign aims to spark change at every level of society.Desktop Version
Big Garden Birdwatch
Big Garden Birdwatch
Every January, gardens across the United Kingdom turn into open-air theatres. The performers arrive uninvited, refuse encores and steal snacks without apology. Welcome to Big Garden Birdwatch—the one weekend when staring out of the window is officially productive.Desktop Version
Thomsons gazelles, Maasai Mara, Kenya
Thomsons gazelles, Maasai Mara, Kenya
There"s something about the way animals move through the grasslands of the Maasai Mara, bathed in golden rays, that makes you pause and simply watch. This stretch of savanna in southwestern Kenya teems with wildlife—from elephants stomping through bushes to cheetahs scanning the horizon. Yet sometimes it"s the smaller creatures that grab attention—like the Thomson"s gazelles featured in today"s image.Desktop Version
Camel thorn trees, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia
Camel thorn trees, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia
At first glance, it looks like a surreal art installation: dark trees frozen on a clay pan, backed by sand dunes and a glowing sky. But this scene from Deadvlei, in Namibia"s Namib-Naukluft Park, is entirely natural. The name "Deadvlei" means "dead marsh"—a remnant of the wetland that once filled this basin.Desktop Version
International Rock Day
International Rock Day
Do you think rocks are just … well, rocks? These natural mineral combinations have done more than just sit around—they"ve built the Earth"s crust and helped humans shape history. From Stone Age tools to the minerals powering modern civilisation, rocks have been essential throughout our journey. International Rock Day celebrates this enduring impact, inviting us to explore the science of rocks, admire their natural beauty and recognise the rich variety they add to our world.Desktop Version
Male hooded merganser, Oregon, United States
Male hooded merganser, Oregon, United States
Each autumn, the quiet waterways of Oregon, United States, become seasonal waypoints for hooded mergansers—small diving ducks native to North America. They are agile divers, plunging beneath the surface to catch fish and other prey. Males, known as drakes, stand out with their fan-shaped white crests, dark heads and chestnut-brown sides, while females, called hens, are brownish grey with smaller crests. Oregon"s lakes and wetlands provide sheltered feeding grounds as these birds migrate or winter across the continent.Desktop Version
British Summer Time starts
British Summer Time starts
At 1 a.m. today, time performs a magic trick. Blink, and it"s 2 a.m. That missing hour marks the start of British Summer Time (BST), when the clocks in the United Kingdom move forward to make the most of longer spring and summer days.Desktop Version
World Lion Day
World Lion Day
With a roar that echoes across the plains, lions have long captured the human imagination. On August 10, World Lion Day invites us to celebrate these iconic big cats while raising awareness about their declining numbers and the urgent need for conservation.Desktop Version
The staircase of the Fortress of Palamidi, Nafplio, Greece
The staircase of the Fortress of Palamidi, Nafplio, Greece
Some landmarks invite you in. This one makes you work for it—857 steps, eight bastions and centuries of power plays later, the Fortress of Palamidi still believes history should be earned the hard way. Rising 216 metres above the city of Nafplio in Greece, this Venetian-built stronghold dates to 1714. Each bastion of this impressive fortification is designed as an independent unit so that if one fell, the others could still be defended. The Ottomans captured the fortress a year after completion, and Greece reclaimed it in 1822, renaming the bastions after heroes like Achilles and Leonidas. Today, visitors often test themselves on the fortress"s famous staircase—once believed to have 999 steps, though the actual count is 857. At the top, sweeping views of the Argolic Gulf make every step worthwhile.Desktop Version
Village of Saranac Lake, New York, United States
Village of Saranac Lake, New York, United States
Some places are just stops on the map, but Saranac Lake in New York"s Adirondack Mountains, in the United States, is a destination that keeps people hooked year-round. Despite its name, this village isn"t directly on the Saranac Lakes themselves but rather on Lake Flower, a wide section of the Saranac River. For centuries, the area—nicknamed "The Capital of the Adirondacks"—was used by Indigenous peoples for hunting and travel. By the late 19th century, it gained fame as a health retreat, where Dr Edward Livingston Trudeau pioneered fresh-air treatment for tuberculosis. The cure cottages from that era still stand today.Desktop Version
Whooper swans, Kotoku Pond, Japan
Whooper swans, Kotoku Pond, Japan
In Japan"s colder months, there"s a morning moment when stillness breaks—not with wind or footsteps, but with a bright, rolling call that sweeps across the water. Whooper swans have touched down. One loud whoop—and winter suddenly feels awake. These birds migrate from Siberia and the Russian Far East, choosing Japan as their seasonal home because its lakes offer what long-distance travellers crave: open water, steady food and a safe place to rest. One of their favourite destinations is Kotoku Pond in the Kantō region on Japan"s largest island.Desktop Version
Rufous hummingbird, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States
Rufous hummingbird, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States
They fly backward, dive-bomb rivals and travel further than most road trippers. Meet the rufous hummingbird—photographed in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States. The bird, one of nine species in the genus Selasphorus, gets its name from its rusty, reddish-orange feathers. Males flash copper backs and red throat patches that shimmer in the sun. Females are more subdued but still carry streaks of rufous on their sides and tails.Desktop Version
Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica
Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica
Spot a flash of yellow on its chest and a bill that looks painted by an artist—that"s the keel-billed toucan. A member of the Ramphastidae family, which includes toucan barbets, it is one of more than 40 toucan species. Found from southern Mexico to northern Colombia, it spends much of its day plucking fruit with a rainbow-coloured bill about one-third of its total length. It also eats insects, eggs and small reptiles when available. The bill not only helps it eat but also keeps the toucan cool by radiating excess heat—thanks to the blood vessels running through it. This social bird often moves in small groups, chattering and gliding between treetops. With each wing measuring around 18–20 centimetres, the keel-billed toucan molts, or sheds its feathers, just once a year.Desktop Version
Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
This stunning view—where the sky meets the open waters of the Atlantic—is accessible only by foot. Tucked away on Ireland"s wild and beautiful Dingle Peninsula, Dunquin Pier is one of the most photogenic spots in County Kerry. The small pier is famous for its winding, serpentine path that zigzags dramatically down the cliffside like a ribbon. These steep curves aren"t just for the thrill—they"re the only way to reach the pier below, where boats depart for the remote Blasket Islands.Desktop Version
Autumn equinox
Autumn equinox
Autumn isn"t just marked by the calendar. Each September, Earth"s subtle tilt brings the autumn equinox—one of two times a year when day and night are nearly equal in length. It marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. From solar alignments to changing leaves, nature offers its own quiet signals that the season has shifted. While for most of us it may seem like just another day, ancient cultures paid close attention to this change. Sites like Chichén Itzá in Mexico and England"s Stonehenge were designed to align with the rising or setting sun during equinox days.Desktop Version
Cable car station on Piz Nair mountain, Graubünden, Switzerland
Cable car station on Piz Nair mountain, Graubünden, Switzerland
There"s a mountain in Switzerland that"s always looking down on you—but don"t take it personally. At 3,056 metres, Piz Nair of the Albula Alps keeps an eye over the Engadine valley in Graubünden. Start in St Moritz: hop on the funicular (a type of cable railway system) to Corviglia, then ride the cable car to the summit. At the top? A viewing platform and that famous ibex (an alpine goat) statue. There"s also a restaurant where you can eat inside a glass cube with 360° views.Desktop Version
Sea Otter Awareness Week
Sea Otter Awareness Week
Think sea otters are just about whiskers and floating naps? There"s more going on behind those button eyes. Every year, Sea Otter Awareness Week highlights their role in maintaining coastal ecosystems. Launched in 2003 by Defenders of Wildlife—an American nonprofit conservation organisation—this week promotes education and action. In Prince William Sound, in Alaska, United States, sea otters drift on ice or crack shellfish on their bellies using their favourite rock, as seen in today"s image. Less visible is how their appetite for sea urchins helps protect kelp forests.Desktop Version
World Dolphin Day
World Dolphin Day
With lifelong bonds, signature whistles and echolocation, dolphins are more than just smart swimmers. First observed in 2022, World Dolphin Day shines a light on these intelligent marine mammals and the oceans they rely on. The day encourages people to learn about their behaviour and the threats they face. Over 40 dolphin species swim our seas, from the Māui dolphin to the Irrawaddy dolphin. They"re expert navigators, problem-solvers and team players. Some even form superpods—temporary gatherings of hundreds or thousands of dolphins moving together offshore.Desktop Version
Great grey owls in their nest, Finland
Great grey owls in their nest, Finland
Silent hunters of the night sky, owls are among the most intriguing creatures in the animal kingdom. Their ability to turn their heads up to 270 degrees—combined with silent flight and exceptional night vision—showcases their remarkable adaptations. With over 200 species found across the globe, these birds contribute to ecological balance and are deeply woven into cultural traditions. Celebrated annually on August 4, International Owl Awareness Day not only honours their presence in nature but also raises awareness about the threats they face.Desktop Version
World Olive Tree Day
World Olive Tree Day
Ancient yet vibrant, twisted yet resilient, olive trees can live for over a thousand years. Even when scarred or hollowed, their trunks still send out fresh leaves each season—a living record of survival through drought, wind and fire. In 2019, UNESCO established November 26 as World Olive Tree Day, recognising these trees that have been cultivated by humans since about 6,000 BCE. Olives have carried both practical and symbolic weight through the ages: their oil was pressed for anointing, medicine and daily sustenance; crowns of their leaves graced Olympic victors; and their branches became a lasting emblem of peace.Desktop Version
Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Ever heard coins clinking louder than applause? That"s the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy, for you—a spot where history, hope and selfie sticks collide. Completed in 1762, it marks the endpoint of one of ancient Rome"s earliest aqueducts, the Aqua Virgo, which still supplies water today. The name "Trevi" comes from Tre Vie—"three roads"—signifying the junction where it stands. Designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and finished by Giuseppe Pannini, this 26-metre marvel is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous in the world. Its sculptures show Oceanus, the god of the sea, surrounded by Tritons and horses.Desktop Version